Climbing wheel chair



1967 R. B. WENGER 4 CLIMBING WHEEL CHAIR Filed Dec. 22, 1964 sSheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. e/cw/zea 5. MFA/age Feb. 14, 1967 R. B. WENGER3,304,094

CLIMBING WHEEL CHAIR Filed Dec. 22, 1964 a Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.P/CHAED 5 WE/VGDQ 1967 R. B. WENGER CLIMBING WHEEL CHAIR 5 Sheets-Sheet3 Filed Dec. 22, 1964 FIG. .11.

INVENTOR.

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United States Patent 3,304,094 CLIMBING WHEEL CHAIR Richard B. Wenger,260 Main St., Saugerties, N.Y. 12477 Filed Dec. 22, 1964, Ser. No.420,266 10 Claims. (Cl. 280-52) This invention relates to improvementsin wheel chairs, and more particularly to a wheel chair adapted to moveup or down steps or stairs.

A main object of the invention is to prov1de a novel and improvedstair-climbing wheel chair which is relatively simple in construction,which is easy to operate, and which enables the occupant to safely climbor descend stairs with a relatively small amount of effort and withoutleaving the wheel chair.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improvedstair-climbing wheel chair which involves relatively inexpensivecomponents, which is durable in construction, and which includesautomatic fluid pressureoperated levelling means which may be employedwhen the wheel chair is on a level surface as well as duringstair-climbing or descending operation of the wheelchair.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improvedstair-climbing wheel chair which is relatively light in weight, which iscompact in size, which employs relatively few parts, and which is easyto maintain in operating condition.

Further objects and advantages of the invent1on will become apparentfrom the following description and claims, and from the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of an improved stair-climbing wheelchair constructed in accordance with the present invention, shown innormal condition.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the wheel chair ofFIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross sectional view taken substantially on theline 33 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view, similar toFIGURE 3, but showing the chair adjusted for climbing stairs.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical cross sectional view, similar to FIGURE 4, buttaken on the line 55 of FIGURE 2 and showing the position of theellipsoidal chair-elevating members as they are rotated into engagementwith a stair ste FIGURE 6 is a vertical cross sectional view, similar toFIGURE 5, showing the position of the chair as it is elevated on a stairstep and maintained levelled by the action of the pneumatic levellingmeans associated with the wheel chair.

FIGURE 7 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 77 ofFIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken substantially on theline 88 of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional view takensubstantially on the line 99 of FIGURE 2, with the chair adjusted forstair climbing as in FIGURES 4 and 5.

FIGURE 10 is a vertical cross sectional view taken substantially on theline 10- 10 of FIGURE 9.

FIGURE 11 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken substantially onthe line 1111 of FIGURE 9.

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially online 1212 of FIGURE 8.

' FIGURE 13 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 1313of FIGURE 12.

Referring to the drawings, 12 generally designates an improvedstair-climbing wheel chair constructed in accordance with the presentinvention. The wheel chair 12 comprises a chair frame 13 having the seatportion 14, the back rest portion 15, and the foot rest portion 16.

Patented Feb. 14, 1967 The frame 13 is also provided with the arm rests17, 17 located at the opposite sides of the seat portion 14, said armrests merging with the parallel inclined tubular frame post elements 19and 20 which are braced together and held in parallel relationship by apair of foldable cross braces 21 and 22 interconnecting the lowerportions of the tubular post members 19 and 20, as shown in FIG- URE 7.The rear portion of the frame consists of the vertical tubularsupporting posts 23 and 24 which are formed with the bottomfloor-engaging loops 25 and which are connected together by foldablebrace bars 26. The rear post members 23 and 24 are provided at their topends with the rearwardly extending horizontal handles 27 located abovethe back rest portion 15, said handles being adapted to be grasped by aperson pushing the wheelchair.

Secured rigidly to the respective sides of the seat frame 14 are rigidbracket members 28 of generally inverted U-shape in cross section andhaving depending inner vertical plate portions 29 secured to the seatframe 14 and outer vertical plate portions 30 spaced from and parallelto the plate portions 29. The bracket members 28 are provided with thehorizontal top wall portions 31 which connect the rear portions of thetop edges of the plate elements 29 and 30. The rear portions of theplate members 29 and 30 are further rigidly connected together byhorizontal cross bars 32.

Pivotally connected to the plate members, 30 on transversely alignedaxes, at 33, 33 are respective levers 34, 34 which project forwardlyadjacent the sides of the seat frame 14 and are normally in horizontalpositions adjacent and parallel to said seat frame sides, as shown inFIG- I wardly from the pivoted ends of the respective levers 34 are arms36 integrally formed with said levers and arranged substantially atright angles to the levers. Respective transverse shafts 37 arejournaled in the end portions of the arms 36, and rigidly secured on theouter portion of each shaft 37 is a supporting wheel 38 provided with anoutwardly adjacent coaxial annular rim 39 which may be manually graspedby the occupant of the wheel chair for rotating the wheel 38.

Rigidly secured on the inner end portion of each shaft 37 is a piniongear 40. Designated at 41, 41 are respective elliptical wheels locatedin vertical longitudinal planes at opposite sides of the seat frame 14with their forward portions received between the respective pairs ofvertical plate members 29 and 30 of the brackets 28, 28. Each ellipticalwheel 44 comprises an elliptical main body portion 45 formed with alongitudinal slot 46 which extends along the major axis of theelliptical body 45 and which is slidably and rotatably engaged on atransversely extending pivot pin 47 rigidly secured in the adjacentplate element 29, the inner end portion of the pin being provided with aretaining washer 48 and retaining cotter pin 49. The body portion 45 ofeach of the elliptical wheels 41, 41 is thus constrained to slide androtate on the associated transversely extending pivot pin 47.

Each of the elliptical wheels 41, 41 is provided with a continuousperipheral rim flange 50 extending around the edge of its associatedmain body portion 45, the rim flanges being provided with internal gearteeth 51 and with external tread portions 52 of suitable resilientdeformable friction material, such as rubber, or the like. The gearteeth 51 are meshingly engageable by the pinion gears 40 when the levers34 are rotated upwardly from their horizontal positions shown inFIGURE 1. The elliptical Wheels are restrained against forward movementby the provision of idler rollers 54 which are journaled between theadjacent plate members 29 and 30 on transverse shafts 55. The rollers 54are so loc'ated that when the levers 34 are elevated to cause the piniongears 40 to meshingly engage with the gear teeth 51, the peripheries ofthe associated elliptical wheels are moved into engagement with therollers allowing the elliptical wheels to be rotated responsive to therotation of the shaft 37, which in turn may be operated by means of thedriving rims 39. As will be further apparent, when the levers 34 arerotated upwardly, for example, to the upstanding vertical positionsillustrated in FIGURE 4, the supporting wheels 38 are elevatedsufiiciently to allow the bottom loops 25 of the rear post members 23 tocome into ground engagement, the supporting wheels 38 being lifted clearof the ground, as shown in FIGURE 4.

As shown in FIGURES 1, 3 and 4, the elliptical wheels 41 are normallyarranged with their major axes extending substantially horizontally andrearwardly, the pivot pins 47 being in the forward portions of the guideslots 46. With the levers 34 in their upright positions, as shown inFIGURE 4, rotation of the respective wheels 38 in a clockwise direction,as viewed in FIGURE 4, will cause their associated elliptical wheels 41to be also rotated clockwise around their associated pivot pins 47,whereby the elliptical wheels may be employed as elevating means toraise the rear portion of the wheel chair onto a stairway step 56.

The operation may be repeated for subsequent steps in the mannerillustrated in FIGURES and 6.

Telescopically disposed in the respective tubular front leg portions 19,20 are plunger rod members 59, 59 provided at their lower ends withswiveled caster assemblies 60 having the caster wheels 61. The pistonrods 59 have top piston portions 62 which are sealingly and slidablyengaged in the tubular leg members 19 and 20 in a chamber defined belowa filler plug 63 provided in each leg. Each leg is further provided withan inwardly projecting stop pin 64 slidably engaging in a longitudinalgroove 65 formed in the associated piston rod 59 and terminatingsubjacent the associated piston portion 62, as shown at 66, to limit thedownward extension of the associated piston rod.

Each leg member 19 and '20 is provided with an outwardly extendinghorizontal rotary valve barrel 80 formed with spaced ports 81, 82 in itsbottom wall communicating with the subjacent space in the leg member.Each valve barrel is provided with a rotatable core 83 having an outerretaining disc 84 rigidly secured thereto, said disc being formed with avent aperture 85 communicating with a passage 86 formed in the core andlocated so as to register with port 82 when the leg member is swung in aclockwise direction from the position of FIGURE 13.

The inner end of each core 83 is formed with a depending conduit 87communicating with a passage 88 formed in the core and located so as toregister with the port 81 when the associated leg member is swung in acounterclockwise direction from the position of FIGURE 13.

Detachably connected to each depending conduit 87 is a compressed airbottle 70 of substantial weight, acting to maintain the associatedconduit 87 in a vertical position at all times.

As will be apparentwhen the chair is tilted forwardly through apredetermined angle such as to cause ports 81 to register with the endsof passages 88, compressed air from the bottles 70 is admitted into theleg members 19 and 20, depressing their piston portions 62 and extendingthe piston rods 59 downwardly. Similarly, when the chair is tiltedrearwardly through an 'angle such as to cause ports 82 to register withthe ends of passages 86, ports 88 are sealed off and the leg members areallowed to exhaust to atmosphere until the leg members descendsufficiently relative to their piston rods 59 to restore the levelcondition of the chair shown in FIGURE 13.

In the normal condition of the wheelchair, namely, when the wheelchairis on level ground, the bottom rims of the leg members 19 and 20 abutthe base flange por- In operation, when the occupant desires to ascend aseries of stair steps 56, he moves the wheelchair into the positionsohwn in FIGURE 4 so that the rearwardly projecting portions of theelliptical wheels 41 extend over the first step 56 on which the chair isto be elevated. The occupant then raises thelevers 34 to their uprightpositions, as shown in FIGURE 4, which brings the pinion gears 40 intomeshing engagement with the internal teeth 51 of the elliptical wheelsand simultaneously elevates the normal supporting wheels 38 above groundlevel, whereby the rear portion of the wheel chair is supported on thebottom loops 25 of the rear leg elements of the chair. The wheels 38 arethen rotated manually by means of the driving rims 39 to rotate theelliptical wheels in the manner shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 so as toelevate the rear portion of the wheel chair. This causes the chair totilt sufficiently to admit compressed air into the working spaces in theleg portions 19 and 20 ofthe chair so as to maintain the chair level.The elliptical wheels 41 will elevate the chair onto the successivesteps and the chair will be supported in level position by theengagement of the caster wheels 61 with the preceding steps. After theseries of steps have been climbed and the rear portion of the chair ison the desired upper level, the lever members 34 may be returned totheir horizontal positions, and the leg members 19 and 20 will be intilted positions causing the ends of passages 86 to register with ports82, allowing the working spaces in the leg members 19 and 20 to exhaust,so that the chair will be returned to its normal position, shown inFIGURE 1, for movement on a level surface.

In descending a flight of stairs, the caster assemblies 60 will belowered, as required, to maintain the wheel chair level as the chair ismoved downwardly along said flight of stairs. Upon reaching the bottomlevel, the caster assemblies 60 will be allowed to retract to theirnormal positions by the cooperation of the valve barrels with the valvecores 83 in the manner above described to exhaust the working spacesabove the piston elements 62.

While a specific embodiment of an improved wheel chair has beendisclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood thatvarious modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur tothose skilled in the' art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitationsbe placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A wheel chair comprising a seat frame having depending rearsupporting leg means and depending front supporting leg means,supporting wheels connected to the seat frame at its opposite sides,respective elliptical wheels slidably and pivotally connected to theopposite sides of the seat frame at the rear portion thereof andarranged in vertical longitudinal planes, means to rotate saidelliptical wheels into engagement with a rearwardly adjacent stair step,whereby to elevate the rear portion of the seat frame, respective casterassemblies slidably connected to the front supporting leg means at theopposite sides of the seat frame, and means to at times extend saidcaster assemblies downwardly so that the seat frame may be levelled andwhen the rear portion thereof is raised or lowered.

2. A wheel chair comprising a seat frame having depending rearsupporting leg means and depending front supporting leg means,supporting wheels connected to the seat frame at its opposite sides,respective elliptical wheels slidably and pivotally connected to theopposite sides of the seat frame at the rear portion thereof andarranged in vertical longitudinal planes, means to at timesdrivinglyconnect said supporting wheels to said elliptical wheels, whereby saidelliptical wheels may be rotated responsive to rotation of saidsupporting wheels and whereby said elliptical wheels may be rotated intoengagement with a rearwardly adjacent .stair step so as to elevate therear portion of the seat frame, respective caster assemblies slidablyconnected to the front supporting leg means at the opposite sides of theseat frame, and means to at times extend said caster assembliesdownwardly so' that the seat frame may be levelled when the rear portionthereof is elevated.

3. A wheel chair comprising a seat frame having depending re-arsupporting leg means and depending front support legs at the oppositesides of the front portion of the seat frame, supporting wheelsconnected to the seat frame at its opposite sides, respective ellipticalwheels slidably and pivotally connected to the opposite sides of theseat frame at the rear portion thereof and arranged in verticallongitudinal planes, means to at times drivingly connect said supportingwheels to said elliptical wheels, whereby said elliptical wheels may berotated responsive to rotation of said supporting wheels and wherebysaid elliptical wheels may be rotated into engagement with a rearwardlyadjacent stair step so as to elevate the rear portion of the seat frame,respective caster assemblies telescopically connected to the frontsupporting legs, and fluid pressure-operated means to at times extendsaid caster assemblies downwardly so that the seat frame may be levelledwhen the rear portion thereof is elevated.

4. A wheel chair comprising a seat frame having depending rearsupporting leg means and a pair of depending front supporting legs,respective levers pivoted to opposite sides of said frame on alignedtransverse axes, respective arms projecting from the pivoted ends ofsaid levers, respective transverse shafts journaled in said arms, asupporting wheel secured on the outer end of each shaft, a pinion gearsecured on the inner end of each shaft, respective elliptical Wheelslocated in vertical longitudinal planes at opposite sides of said frameand having rim flanges receiving said gears, means slidably androtatably connecting said elliptical wheels to said opposite sides ofthe frame, internal gear teeth on said rim flanges meshingly engageableby said gears when said levers are rotated upwardly, respective idlerrollers transversely journaled on the frame forwardly adjacent andengageable by said rim flanges when said gears are moved into meshingengagement with said internal gear teeth, said arms being of suflicientlength to elevate the supporting wheels when the levers are rotatedupwardly and to bring said rear supporting leg means into groundengagement, respective caster assemblies slidably carried by said frontsupporting legs, and means to extend said caster assemblies downwardlyso that the seat frame may be levelled when the rear portion thereof iselevated on a step by rotating said elliptical wheels thereon.

5. A wheel chair comprising a seat frame having depending rearsupporting leg means and a pair of depending front supporting legs,respective levers pivoted to opposite sides of said frame on alignedtransverse axes, respective arms projecting from the pivoted ends ofsaid levers, respective transverse shafts journaled in said arms, asupporting wheel secured on the outer end of each shaft, a pinion gearsecured on the inner end of each shaft, respective elliptical wheelslocated in vertical longitudinal planes at opposite sides of said frame,each elliptical wheel comprising an elliptical main body provided with arim flange, said main body having a longitudinal slot, transverse pivotbolt means on the sides of the seat frame extending through said slotsand slidably and rotatably connecting the elliptical wheels to therespective sides of the seat frame, internal gear teeth on the rimflanges, said rim flanges receiving said gears and the internal gearteeth being meshingly engageable by said gears when said levers arerotated upwardly, respective idler rollers transversely journaled on theframe forwardly adjacent and engageable by said rim flanges when saidgears are moved into meshing engagement with said internal gear teeth,said arms being of sufficient length to elevate the supporting wheelswhen the levers are rotated upwardly and to bring said rear supportingleg means into ground engagement, respective caster assemblies slidablycarried by said front supporting legs, and means to extend said casterassemblies downwardly so that the seat frame may be levelled when therear portion thereof is elevated on a step by rotating said ellipticalwheels thereon.

6. A wheel chair comprising a seat frame having depending rearsupporting leg means and a pair of depending front supporting legs,respective levers pivoted to opposite sides of said frame :on alignedtransverse axes, respective arms projecting from the pivoted ends ofsaid levers, respective transverse shafts journaled in said arms, asupporting wheel secured on the outer end of each shaft, a pinion gearsecured on the inner end of each shaft, respective elliptical wheelslocated in vertical longitudinal planes on opposite sides of said frameand having rim flanges receiving said gears, means slidably androtatably connecting said elliptical wheels to said opposite sides ofthe frame, internal gear teeth on said rim flanges meshingly engageableby said gears when said levers are rotated upwardly, respective idlerrollers transversely journaled on the frame forwardly adjacent andengageable by said rim flanges when said gears are moved into meshingengagement with said internal .gear teeth, said arms being of suflicientlength to elevate the supporting wheels when the levers are rotatedupwardly and to bring said rear supporting leg means into groundengagement, respective caster assemblies telescopically engaging saidfront supporting legs, and fluid pressure-operated means to extend saidcaster assemblies downwardly so that the seat frame may be levelled whenthe rear portion thereof is elevated on a step by rotating saidelliptical wheels thereon.

7. A Wheel chair comprising a seat frame having depending rearsupporting leg means and a pair of depending front supporting legs,respective levers pivoted to 0pposite sides of said frame on alignedtransverse axes, respective arms projecting from the pivoted ends ofsaid levers, respective transverse shafts journaled in said arms, asupporting wheel secured on the outer end of each shaft, a pinion gearsecured on the inner end of each shaft, respective elliptical wheelslocated in vertical longitudinal planes on opposite sides of said frame,each elliptical wheel comprising an elliptical main body provided with arim flange, said main body having a longitudinal slot, transverse pivotbolt means on the sides of the seat frame extending through said slotsand slidably and rotatably connecting the elliptical Wheels to therespective sides of the seat frame, internal gear teeth on the rimflanges, said rim flanges receiving said gears and the internal gearteeth being meshingly engageable by said gears when said levers arerotated upwardly, respective idler rollers transversely journaled on theframe forwardly adjacent and engageable by said rim flanges when saidgears are moved into meshing engagement with said internal gear teeth,said arms being of sufficient length to elevate the supporting wheelswhen the levers are rotated upwardly and to bring said rear supportingleg means into ground engagement, respective caster assembliestelescopic-ally engaging said front supporting legs, and fluidpressure-operated means to extend said caster assemblies downwardly sothat the seat frame may be levelled when the rear portion thereof iselevated on a step by rotating said elliptical wheels thereon.

8. A wheel chair comprising a seat frame having depending frontsupporting legs and supporting wheels connected to the seat frame at itsopposite sides, ground-engaging means rotatably and slidably mounted onthe frame adjacent said wheels to at times elevate the frame, respectivecaster assemblies associated with said front supporting legs, meanstelescopically connecting said caster assemblies to the front supportinglegs, and means to at times telescopically extend said caster assembliesdownwardly so that the seat frame may be levelled when its rear portionis either raised or lowered.

9. A Wheel chair comprising a seat frame having depending frontsupporting legs and supporting Wheels connected to the seat frame at itsopposite sides, ground-engaging means rotatably and slidably mounted onthe frame adjacent said wheels to at times elevate the frame, respectivecaster assemblies associated with said front supporting legs, meanstelescopically connecting said caster assemblies to the front supportinglegs, and fl'uid pressure-operated means to at times telescopicallyextend said caster assemblies downwardly so that the seat frame may belevelled when the wheel chair is ascending or descending a flight ofstairs.

10. A wheel chair comprising a seat frame having depending frontsupporting legs and supporting wheels connected to the seat frame at itsopposite sides, groundengaging means rotatably and slidably mounted onthe frame adjacent said Wheels to at times elevate the frame respectivecaster assemblies associated with said front supporting legs, meanstelescopically connecting said caster assemblies to the front supportinglegs, fluid pressureoperated means to at times move said casterassemblies downwardly so that the seat frame may be levelled when thewheel chair is ascending or descending a flight of stairs, a source offluid pressure on the chair, and pendulum-actuated valve means connectedbetween said source and said fluid pressure-operated means.

References Cited by the Examiner LE-O FRIAGLIA, Primary Examiner.

1. A WHEEL CHAIR COMPRISING A SEAT FRAME HAVING DEPENDING REARSUPPORTING LEG MEANS AND DEPENDING FRONT SUPPORTING LEG MEANS,SUPPORTING WHEELS CONNECTED TO THE SEAT FRAME AT ITS OPPOSITE SIDES,RESPECTIVE ELLIPTICAL WHEELS SLIDABLY AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THEOPPOSITE SIDES OF THE SEAT FRAME AT THE REAR PORTION THEREOF ANDARRANGED IN VERTICAL LONGITUDINAL PLANES, MEANS TO ROTATE SAIDELLIPTICAL WHEELS INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH A REARWARDLY ADJACENT STAIR STEP,WHEREBY TO ELEVATE THE REAR PORTION OF THE SEAT FRAME, RESPECTIVE CASTERASSEMBLIES SLIDABLY CONNECTED TO THE FRONT SUPPORTING LEG MEANS AT THEOPPOSITE SIDES OF THE SEAT FRAME, AND MEANS TO AT TIMES EXTEND SAIDCASTER ASSEMBLIES DOWNWARDLY SO THAT THE SEAT FRAME MAY BE LEVELLED ANDWHEN THE REAR PORTION THEREOF IS RAISED OR LOWERED.